


Happy Anniversary?

by Seer_of_Soul



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Happy Ending, Light Drinking, Love Confessions, M/M, Memory Loss, Slice of Clack, Zack Fair Lives, nobody's drunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:34:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25214746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seer_of_Soul/pseuds/Seer_of_Soul
Summary: Avalanche celebrates another year passing since MeteorFall. Everyone is off living their lives, but make time to come celebrate once a year.
Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Comments: 8
Kudos: 56





	Happy Anniversary?

**Author's Note:**

> Slice of Clack: Celebration - Anniversary 
> 
> There's no where good to put it in the fic, so as setting background: 
> 
> Cloud and the gang found Zack in a lab somewhere, in a mako tube. He got mako poisoning and forgot almost everything.

‘Ice sounds different in crystal glasses,’ Cloud thought, ‘Tifa got the nice set out today.’ He took a sip of the drink Tifa had handed him, briefly wondering what was possibly in it, before deciding he didn’t really want to know. Tifa stood behind the counter of the bar, happily mixing up drinks of any color. Cid had started the crazy color game with something bright blue and possibly glowing. Vincent got something dark red that swirled in his glass. 

Yuffie had shown up in her royal robes, having somehow disappeared from the middle of some meeting she insisted was not interesting, and therefore, not important. She had brought some Wutaian sake with her, claiming that everything Tifa had tasted like burning and she wanted something that had flavor. Tifa was surprisingly unoffended by the accusation, but that was probably because Yuffie had brought along some extra sake for her. 

Nanaki and Barret were the only ones not drinking; Nanaki because he can’t stand the stuff and Barret because he’s driving others back home later. Technically Cait Sith wasn’t drinking either, but Reeve was sipping gin, so maybe that half counted...? Cait was perched on Reeve’s shoulder, jabbering on as Vincent listened silently, though both Reeve and Vincent put in comments every once in a while. Once again, Cloud was left wondering how much of Reeve was Cait and how much of Cait was Reeve, but he pushed the thought aside.

Reno and Rude had shown up at some point – along with Rufus, Tsung, and Elena – and challenged Cid to a drinking contest shortly after. Cloud wasn’t sure who was actually winning, but Rude looked the most not drunk, so he guessed it was him. Tifa was very smugly handing them new drinks every time one of them asked. She was slowly working her way through the rainbow, on some shade of green. Tsung, Elena, and Rufus had settled down in a different corner of the bar, having a surprisingly intense conversation with Nanaki, who’s tail was flicking excitedly. 

There was music playing from the jukebox, which Yuffie and Cid and Rude had been fighting over all night. It was playing some kind of waltz-y rock, which signaled that Cid was having his way at the moment, but Yuffie was working her way back towards it, with a gleam in her eye.

Cloud had sat himself in one of the booth tables near the wall long before the others showed up, watching the door for anymore arrivals. He was starting to get worried, with the hour getting so late. They hadn’t shown up yet and it was really getting to the point where-.

The door opened and in stepped Aerith. She smiled brilliantly as a cheer of welcome went up around the bar. Reno, Rude, and Cid even paused their contest to raise their glasses in greeting. Aerith waved, a little shyly, and bounded over to where Yuffie sat, next to the table of snacks. 

Zack stepped through next. Cloud felt his breath catch in his throat. Even after knowing for so long, every time he saw Zack alive, breathing, was such a relief. It felt like the weight of the world had dropped off his shoulders in a rush. It felt like he could breathe again.

Zack closed the door behind him, looking around the bar twice before he finally spotted Cloud sitting in the corner. He flashed a grin and waved. Cloud barely had time to lift his fingers to start waving back before Zack made a beeline across the bar towards Tifa. Cloud slumped back in his seat, trying not to make it too obvious that he was following Zack’s path. He tried not to feel too bad when Zack stopped to talk to every other person he passed. 

Cloud tipped his glass and let the drink slide down his throat. ‘Don’t feel bad. Don’t feel bad. You have no right to-’

“This seat taken?” A hopeful voice interrupted his inner thoughts. Cloud blinked, looking up to see Zack standing over him, two drinks in hand. Cloud shook his head slightly, a little shaken. 

Instead of sitting across from him like he’d expected, Zack slid into the booth next to him, so close that Cloud could feel the heat radiating off of him. Zack set one of the drinks in front of Cloud, taking a sip from the other one. He was so close. Cloud felt like he’d been slapped out of his body, an old anxious feeling he didn’t deal with much anymore. 

“So,” Zack said after a minute of silence between them, “happy ‘we didn’t die to a giant space rock’ anniversary.”

Cloud snorted before he could stop himself. He quickly muffled his chuckle with his fist, shaking his head. “That’s one way to put it.”

“That is a correct way to put it,” Zack declared, smile audible in his voice. 

Cloud chuckled to himself, feeling himself relaxing, even though he was very aware of Zack’s knee pressing against his. “How’s your-,” he started before realizing that it was probably rude or something ask about that.

“Mako poisoning?” Zack volunteered. Cloud nodded sheepishly. “Much better now, thanks to Aerith.”

‘Right, Aerith.’ Cloud pressed his lips together, suddenly very aware that they’d been dating before and, technically, had never stopped. “That’s good,” he said lamely. ‘Of course they would- they’re both such amazing people, of course they’d end up with each other.’ “Wish I could have gone with you.” He only realized that he’d said that out loud when Zack shook his head.

“I couldn’t have asked you too.” Aerith had taken Zack to the Cetras’ ruins to help him piece himself back together, like how Tifa had helped him. “It’s dangerous for you to be around so much mako. Aerith can only keep up with one of us at a time, right?” he laughed softly.

Cloud nodded silently, not really feeling any less guilty for not being there for him. Zack had done so much for him, and Cloud couldn’t even be there.

“I’ve been remembering more stuff too…,” Zack continued after a moment of silence, “Stuff from before… when I was at Shinra.”

Cloud wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

“I even- oh.” Zack paused, raising his head to look across the bar. Cloud followed his gaze, watching Aerith braid a flower into Tifa’s hair. “Looks like Aerith’s already…,” Zack muttered, probably louder than he intended. Cloud blinked, confusion spreading through him. 

“I was saying,” Zack said, talking faster than before, “I’ve been remembering things and realizing things and I really just want to… to say… geez….” He ducked his head, holding it in his hand. “Why is this so hard…? I mean, I know why-, but why…?!” 

“Zack…,” Cloud said softly. He didn’t know what to say. Zack looked up at him so hopefully Cloud felt himself flinch. “I-….” 

Zack gingerly wrapped his fingers around Cloud’s wrist, cradling Cloud’s hands in his own. “Cloud… if I ever made you think that I… I was pulling away, or that I was different than before, or that I _felt_ different than before, I-.”

Cloud shook his head. “Zack, I have no idea what you’re talking about….”

Zack blinked. “You don’t?”

Cloud shook his head, feeling thick, hot shame coiling up his throat, though he didn’t know exactly why. 

Zack stared at him a minute longer – Cloud could almost see the gears turning in his mind – then he looked away, back towards Aerith and Tifa. Cloud followed his gaze, if only so he wouldn’t have to see the disappointment. 

“Hey Cloud, you had mako poisoning once too, right?” Cloud nodded silently. “Aerith said it messed up your memories too, and that’s how she knew how to help me….” Zack chewed his bottom lip, which Cloud noticed out of the corner of his eye. “Do you… have all of your memories back?”

Cloud ducked his head a little. “No… I- I don’t really remember most of my time at Shinra… just flashes, feelings. I… don’t know if I’ll ever get those back.” Zack nodded slightly. Then he threw his drink back and swallowed the rest of it. 

“I made a deal with Aerith,” Zack said, more firmly than before, as he set the empty glass on the table, “I… like someone, and she said that if I confessed to the person I liked tonight, then she would do the same with to the one she did too.” He shifted in his seat a little, the length of his thigh pressed against Cloud’s. 

Zack stood up from the table, offering his hand. “Dance with me?”

Cloud blinked, noticing the happy tune bouncing through the air. Yuffie had gotten to the jukebox again. He stared at Zack’s out-stretched hand, then took it. He couldn’t say no to him. “Are you trying to make someone jealous…?” he asked hesitantly. He didn’t really think he wanted to know who Zack liked, something uncomfortable and tight coiled up in his stomach from the thought. But there was no way he wasn’t going to find out….

Zack’s eyes widened as he pulled Cloud to his feet and away from the table. Then a mirthful smirk grew across his face. “I don’t think even you can be jealous of yourself, Cloudy.”

It took Cloud an embarrassing amount of time to realize what that meant. His mouth opened soundlessly, trying to form words his brain wasn’t ready to make yet. Finally, “Me…?” he asked quietly. No. No. That couldn’t be right. That couldn’t-.

Zack nodded a little, the smirk growing wider. “You know what, forget the dance. Let’s get some fresh air.” Zack pulled Cloud towards the back door of the bar. Without hesitation, Cloud followed.

He caught a glimpse of Aerith whispering something to Tifa. They were tucked around the corner of the bar, out of sight to the rest of the party. Tsung stood behind the counter now, shaking drinks with a surprisingly expert hand. 

Zack tugged Cloud out into the night air. Cloud still felt like the world was spinning under him. Zack sat down on the steps, tugging Cloud down with him. Zack hummed softly, tapping a finger against his lips. “You know, I thought you remembered, and you were just trying not to pressure me, to give me space to recover and all that…. Man, I’m not sure if this is easier or harder….” He scratched the back of his head, looking out over the little backyard behind the bar. 

Cloud stared into the middle distance, not really seeing what was in front of him, just absorbed in the warmth of Zack’s thigh pressing against his. “You-,” he started, “You ‘like’ me…?”

“Like… a lot. A lot a lot,” Zack laughed awkwardly. 

“Why?” Cloud said before he could stop himself.

“You asking why I like you?” Zack asked, turning his head to look at him. His mako eyes were bright in the nighttime darkness. Cloud shrugged lamely. Why did talking to Zack always make him feel like an awkward teenager again?

Zack smiled, a soft, warm smile that made Cloud feel warmer. “There’s a lot of reasons, Cloud. I like your sarcastic snarky remarks. I like the way you take care of other people. I like the way you’re always around when people really need you. I love your smile. I- oh.” Zack blinked, then blushed, looking away. 

Cloud felt like his heart had leapt right up into orbit. He said ‘love’. Zack had said ‘I love’ about Cloud.

“I- I understand if you’re not interested in seeing me like that,” Zack said hurriedly. “I mean this kinda came out of nowhere and it’s a lot, on top of everything else, but…. Will you give me a chance…?”

Cloud nodded numbly, fearing that if he let himself actually process the emotions swelling in his chest that his heart just might explode. Zack’s face split into a wild grin. “Really?! Cloud, I-!” He wrapped his arms around Cloud, hugging him so tightly he pulled Cloud off his seat. “Gaia, now that I know what I’m doing…,” Zack grinned bashfully, “I’ll do a much better job of courting you like you deserve this time. Promise.” 

Cloud wasn’t sure if he was blushing or not, but his face felt hot. He felt his lips quirk up into a shy smile. How long had it been since someone had made him feel like that?!

Zack leaned forward a little. “Hey Cloud, this may be kinda fast, but I really wanna kiss you right now… can I?”

Cloud gave him his answer. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against Zack’s. Zack’s lips were warm. Cloud almost imagined he heard Zack purring as he melted into their kiss. Zack’s hand caressed Cloud’s cheek, then held it with such careful sweetness that Cloud thought he might shatter. His hand was warm.

Cloud’s eyes fluttered open when the kiss ended. He wasn’t sure when he’d closed them. He felt warm. All of him felt warm. Just from touching Zack. The kiss had got him buzzed far more than the alcohol had. He smiled softly up at Zack, who looked just as fuzzy, a big loopy smile plastered across his face. 

Cloud let out a short laugh, feeling warmth fluttering in his chest. “Happy ‘we didn’t die to a giant space rock’ anniversary, Zack,” Cloud smiled up at him. Zack just grinned.


End file.
